North Bergen wrestling team finds motivation in last year's state title loss

“Everyone here knows and believes that we can win a state sectional title, and that’s how we’ve been preparing"
Anthony Giraldo
North Bergen wrestler

NORTH BERGEN — It’s 8 a.m. on a recent Saturday and although yawns escape from a few of the high school’s wrestlers, their minds quickly snap to attention as a distinct memory echoes through the wrestling room.

“All you have to do is remind the guys how last year ended and they wake up and get to work,” said senior Anthony Giraldo, referring to his team’s 39-30 loss to Hackensack in last season’s NJSIAA North 1, Group 4 sectional final.

“It’s been a great way to motivate each other.”

More than 300 marks have been made on the calendar since that February defeat occurred in North Bergen, but as each day has come and gone, a singular goal has prevailed.

“We came up short right here in our gym last year in the state sectionals, and that’s been the motivating factor for everyone,” said 17th-year head coach Jerry Maietta, whose team opens the season Saturday at the Beast of the East Tournament at the University of Delaware.

“They realized that they have to continue to improve and get better, and I think that loss last year drove the guys to work hard during their offseason time.”

It’s been 20 years since the Bruins last claimed a sectional title in 1993, but Giraldo — who won the school’s first individual state title since 1983 at 126 pounds last year — and the rest of his teammates are looking to change that before the season ends.

After an offseason of extensive training, seniors Manny Dominguez (145 pounds), Steve Reyes (145 pounds), Axel Urgiles (132 pounds), Kevin Montero (106 pounds) and Josh Rivas (195 pounds) return for their final campaigns. Juniors Devin Garrido (113 pounds) and Jeff Rivera (152 pounds), as well as sophomore Leo Subiza (160 pounds), are also back on the mat for North Bergen.

“Everyone here knows and believes that we can win a state sectional title, and that’s how we’ve been preparing,” Giraldo said.

It’s an internal drive that has come easy for the Bruins and one that can be refreshed in an instant by Maietta if there is ever any doubt.

“Every now and then you have to remind them of that day and how it felt back here in the gym after the match was over,” Maietta said. “This is a good group of kids, though, and they don’t mind working hard and doing the things they need to to be successful.”

One of the more beneficial tools of the Bruins’ training came courtesy of the town’s Recreation Department, which developed a wrestling club over the last few years. The new program allows wrestlers to work on developing their strength and technique two days a week from April to November — a luxury that has been “100 percent positive,” as Maietta said, and has the boys coming in stronger than before.

“From the top to the bottom, the guys worked hard in the offseason and the results have shown,” Maietta said. “They know that we have unfinished business and they don’t plan on going home disappointed this time around.”